26 Feb, 2025
New findings have revealed the alarming number of babies referred to children’s social care in England with domestic abuse as a factor; 48,067* estimated each year, based on a 3-year average.
Groundbreaking research, undertaken by The For Baby’s Sake Trust, highlights the urgent need for targeted interventions to break cycles of domestic abuse, to protect babies from harm and and reduce the financial burden on public services.
Additional Key Findings from The For Baby’s Sake Trust:
- Freedom of Information (FOI) requests indicated that 1,924 babies (aged 0 – 2) have entered care in England every year, for the past three years, with domestic abuse as a factor. This represents 1 in every 4 of the at least 7,826 total babies entering care in England every year more widely.
- The financial cost of placements of babies with domestic abuse as a factor is projected to be around £43.5 million per year, highlighting the urgent need to invest in earlier intervention to prevent cycles of abuse, and the far-reaching costs to babies, families and to society.
- Reporting systems across England do not support a full understanding of the impact of domestic abuse on babies and children. Domestic abuse is being categorised within broad terms such as “abuse” or “family dysfunction,” masking the scale of the impact on babies and children.
These figures, representing babies aged 0 – 2, are believed by the Trust to be significantly underestimated. The data received from local authorities contrasts sharply with broader existing statistics that show domestic abuse is a factor in up to 50% of cases where children (aged 0 – 18) are identified as being in need [Source: Department for Education]. Without domestic abuse being distinctly categorised in children’s social care data, it remains challenging to measure the scale of the impact on babies and children and its cost to society.
"Responding to domestic abuse is the bread and butter of children's social care, featuring in over 50% of referrals. This report highlights the troubling reality that so many babies are affected by domestic abuse. But it is also a critical reminder that they are victims too and deserve a domestic abuse-informed response that meets their specific needs. It is absolutely essential that all professionals involved in children's safeguarding fully understand the dynamics of domestic abuse, including coercive and controlling behaviour. This means partnering with the protective parent to stay with the children, working closely with specialist domestic abuse services, and intervening with perpetrators to reduce harm and hold them accountable."
Nicole Jacobs, Domestic Abuse Commissioner for England and Wales
Domestic abuse, now recognised under the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 as causing harm to babies, children and young people as victims in their own right, is a driving factor behind the rising numbers of babies and children referred to children’s social care. Despite this, existing data does not provide a clear breakdown of cases where domestic abuse is a significant factor. This lack of clarity impedes the ability to accurately assess the scale and impact of domestic abuse on babies and children across England.
“It is worrying to see how many babies need to be referred to children's services each year, especially given their intense vulnerabilities, while also recognising that many more may not yet be known to services. Thousands of very young children are being caught up in the vicious cycle of domestic abuse and we must do more to protect them. When a family receives help before these problems escalate, it can prevent a child needing to go into care in the first place. That’s why Government must prioritise investing in services aimed at early intervention and supporting the whole family, with a focus on addressing the root causes of these issues. We also know domestic abuse can have long term impacts on a child’s mental health and wellbeing, so it is vital they have access to ongoing practical and therapeutic support to help them recover and move forward with their lives.”
Sam Whyte, Associate Head of Policy and Public Affairs at the NSPCC
In England:
- Over 650,000 children were referred to children’s social care in the year ending March 2023. [Source: Department for Education]
- Approximately 50,920 children were placed on Child Protection Plans, with domestic abuse cited as a significant factor in many cases. [Source: Department for Education]
- £12.2 billion was spent on children’s social care in 2022/23, with a large proportion directed towards care placements, the most resource-intensive intervention. [Source: Pro Bono Economics]
“These devastating findings speak to what Pause knows from our work with mothers who have had children removed from their care, nearly all of whom have been impacted by domestic abuse. For many, this abuse also played a part in why their children were removed from their care. Without the right support, we know domestic abuse will continue to have a lasting impact on families and drive the high numbers of children entering care. We fully support the recommendations called for by The For Baby's Sake Trust.”
Jules Hillier, CEO of Pause
This research is released during The For Baby’s Sake Trust’s 10th anniversary year, marking a significant milestone in the organisation’s journey.
“These shocking findings underscore the devastating impact of domestic abuse on babies and young children, as well as the financial strain on public services. By investing in preventative measures and improving data collection, we can break the cycle of harm, provide better support to families, and alleviate the growing pressure on the care system.”
Lauren Seager-Smith, CEO of The For Baby's Sake Trust
Over the past decade, the Trust has achieved transformative results by supporting thousands of parents to break intergenerational cycles of domestic abuse, creating brighter futures for their babies. However, these findings also highlight how much work remains to be done to address the pervasive impact of domestic abuse on babies and children. The Trust views this anniversary as an opportunity to both celebrate progress and share its goal for every family in the UK to have access to support to break cycles of domestic abuse and give their babies the best start in life.
*Methodology
The For Baby’s Sake Trust submitted Freedom of Information (FOI) requests to all 153 local authorities in England with a responsibility for children’s social care, seeking data on: The number of babies (aged 0–2) in care; the number of babies referred to social services with domestic abuse as a factor; the number of babies who entered care with domestic abuse as a factor. The data was requested across a three-year average, from 2021 – 2023. We received a 90% response rate, producing a highly representative dataset of the available picture across England. For local authorities that did not respond or could not provide the data, proportional estimates were calculated. Furthermore, our results do not take into account repeat referrals or repeat entries into care. The FOI responses revealed significant variances in how data is recorded and reported by local authorities. Domestic abuse is often categorised under broader terms, such as “abuse or neglect,” which hinders accurate tracking. These inconsistencies highlight the urgent need for standardised data collection practices to fully understand the impact of domestic abuse on babies and its intersection with the care system. To calculate the estimated cost to the state, we applied our findings to national reports on the average cost of a child entering care in England, making considerations for the unique costs of care placements for babies aged 0 –2. A commonly cited piece of research, Supporting Children and Families Returning Home from Care: Counting the Costs, estimates the cost of “all social care activity to support the placement for one year, including care plans and reviews” at £45,982. Using this as a proxy, if each child were to spend a minimum of six months in care, the cost for these babies would amount to £43,683,900 each year. This figure is based on outdated costs and applies to children as a broad category, so it has been interpreted as an estimate, underscoring the broader financial and social implications of domestic abuse on children and public services.
